I would argue this is potentially one of the most important signings we will have made since the days of Isa and Rocky coming in for 2008/09, almost a decade.

No matter how good or bad Lowe turns out to be, this was a massive signing regardless, a 24 year old project player who had calls for him to be included in the All Blacks starting line up, let along squad. That's Isa Nacewa level greatness, without the 1 cap and younger even than when we got Nacewa. So that's the potential of this signing, but most importantly, is this opportunity. There's somebody out there who would come here and be a world class winger, we've finally had the opportunity to make a play for that, whether or not we got it right, this was a massive signing.

I would argue with the scrum halves coming through (and we may have botched our opportunity to sign a young project 9 by getting a decent but in no way spectacular 9, but imagine we got that one right and had a long term international quality 9, up there with Conor Murray, sort of project player...), with the talent at 10, the young centres... if we can get a world class back three, we will have an incredible back line for a long, long time. And I don't think we have any worries in the back-row or at loose head for a very, very long time. Hooker, tight-head and lock all need some more talent to come through, but there's some very decent prospects at the moment.

I suppose my point being, we have a generation coming through that maybe, MAYBE could be as good as, if not better, than the O'Driscoll generation, now all but completely gone. (I'm talking Contepomi, Sexton, D'Arcy, Nacewa, O'Driscoll, Horgan, Hickie, Jennings, Cullen, Mal etc. etc.) But in order to do that, what we need most are finishers and world class back-three. If we could get the back-three right for the long term, we are in serious business. That's the key component missing right now in my opinion.

Lowe isn't a speedster, despite what you might hear, he got absolutely burned by Darren Sweetman, who is very quick, but definitely not a speedster, but that's ok, neither is / was Nacewa (the absolute gold standard in world class signings), but if this guy is All Blacks caliber, we're in serious business along the way to achieving that goal.

If he's a bust, it could set us back years in developing that talent.

One way or another, massive signing.

jezzer wrote:He will never be the second coming of BOD, because the only thing their game shares is probably the appetite for work around the pitch. He'll hopefully be the first coming of Ringrose.

Agree with you regarding lowe but he does have serious enough pace. Might not be lightning quick but I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you see him in action. Also his offloading ability will be as good as we will see from anyone in blue this year. Serious signing!

Agree with you regarding lowe but he does have serious enough pace. Might not be lightning quick but I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you see him in action. Also his offloading ability will be as good as we will see from anyone in blue this year. Serious signing!

From that highlight reel, he reminds me a bit of Nacewa, but maybe with an extra bit of oomph to his play. As Ronk said, he's not the quickest winger, but he's quick, not massive, but big, but the real talent seems to be footwork, intelligence and handling. Some of his offloads and takes in the video are excellent. Some nice kicking as well, I know he covers full-back, so that would be a big bonus if he had a big left boot on him.

The more I think about it, the more I'd like to see Carbury persisted with at 15 and Byrne to be understudy to Sexton. If the likes of Lowe and Larmour come good, added with Henshaw and Ringrose in the centre and McGrath at scrum half, there's potential for a top class back-line there, all under the age of 25.

simonokeeffe wrote:I'd rather have Carberry on the field than that so 15 when Sexton plays, 10 when Sexton doesnt, when it comes to the real team for me

Sort of agree.

If Carbury stays as a 10 now he will have a long career after Sexton as Ireland no 1 out-half and in competition with Bleyendel and Jackson but he will be lost to a really key position unless he continues to play there regularly.

From looking at the Cheetahs game Carbury looks to have bulked up a bit over the summer while retaining his instinctive flair. It would be a pity to lose that potential at 10 even if he eventually becomes a very good 15.